Torch for tungsten inert gas welding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10166625-B2
Application number	US-201314417156-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 26, 2013
Priority date	Jul 31, 2012
Publication date	Jan 1, 2019
Grant date	Jan 1, 2019

Abstract

A torch for tungsten inert gas welding is provided, in particular a narrow gap head for tungsten inert gas narrow-gap welding. In a housing made of metal, an electrode unit is retained by an electrode retainer and a cooling device for cooling the electrode unit is present. Liquid cooling medium can be conducted into the electrode retainer and back out of the electrode retainer through the cooling device. The cooling device includes at least one electrically conductive partition within a jacket of the electrode retainer for forming cooling channels, at least the at least one partition being electrically connected to the electrode unit. Furthermore, an outer surface of the electrode retainer is provided with an insulating layer at least in the area of the housing, which housing surrounds the electrode retainer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A torch for tungsten inert gas welding, comprising:
a housing,
an electrode holder disposed in the housing,
an electrode unit held in the housing and made of a metal, and
a cooling device configured to cool the electrode unit, by which a liquid cooling medium can be conducted into the electrode holder and conducted out of the electrode holder again,
wherein the cooling device comprises at least one electrically conductive separating wall disposed within a shell of the electrode holder for forming cooling channels, at least the at least one electrically conductive separating wall being electrically connected to the electrode unit,
wherein an insulating layer is disposed between the housing and the electrode holder, and
wherein the at least one electrically conductive separating wall comprises at least one clearance, through which the cooling channels are connected to one another, so that the liquid cooling medium can flow into the electrode holder and in a direction of the electrode unit through at least one cooling channel and away from the electrode unit and out of the electrode holder through at least one other cooling channel.

2. The torch as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the shell of the electrode holder comprises a cylindrical shape and comprises a metal.

3. The torch as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the shell and the at least one electrically conductive separating wall of the electrode holder are connected to one another in a form-fitting manner.

4. The torch as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one electrically conductive separating wall comprises copper.

5. The torch as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a closure element that is connected to a lower end of the shell in a fluid-tight manner and to which the electrode unit is secured,
wherein a lower end of the at least one electrically conductive separating wall is positioned over the closure element.

6. The torch as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one electrically conductive separating wall comprises a shape of a planar web or a single-start or multi-start worm.

7. The torch as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the insulating layer comprises a heat-resistant plastic or a ceramic.

8. The torch as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the electrode unit comprises an electrode carrier and an electrode, the electrode comprising tungsten or tungsten alloy that tapers conically in a direction of a workpiece and which is fixed in a force-fitting and/or material-bonding and/or form-fitting manner in the electrode carrier which comprises a metal with a thermal conductivity greater than 50 W/mK.

9. The torch as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the electrode unit is detachably screwed to the electrode holder.

10. The torch as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
a closure element that is connected to a lower end of the shell and to which the electrode unit is secured,
wherein the electrode unit is detachably screwed directly to the closure element of the electrode holder.

11. The torch as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the housing is flat and comprises a length and a width that is much less than the length, the length being an extent of the housing in a direction of a welding track.

12. The torch as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the housing comprises a bore configured to receive the electrode holder with a loose fit.

13. The torch as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the housing is free of any insulation on an external surface of the housing.

14. The torch as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the torch comprises a narrow-gap head for tungsten inert gas narrow-gap welding.

15. The torch as claimed in claim 1 ,
wherein the shell of the electrode holder comprises a cylindrical shape and comprises copper or high-grade steel or alloys thereof.

16. An electrode holder for a torch for tungsten inert gas welding, comprising:
an electrode unit comprising an electrode carrier and an electrode disposed in the electrode carrier,
a cooling device configured to cool the electrode unit, by which a liquid cooling medium can be conducted into the electrode holder and conducted out of the electrode holder again,
wherein the cooling device comprises at least one electrically conductive separating wall disposed within a shell of the electrode holder configured to form cooling channels, at least the at least one electrically conductive separating wall being electrically connected to the electrode unit,
wherein an insulating layer is disposed an outer surface of the electrode holder and is configured to electrically insulate the electrode holder from a housing configured to surround the electrode holder, and
wherein the at least one electrically conductive separating wall comprises at least one clearance, through which the cooling channels are connected to one another, so that the liquid cooling medium can flow into the electrode holder and in a direction of the electrode unit through at least one cooling channel and away from the electrode unit and out of the electrode holder through at least one other cooling channel.

Assignees

• Siemens Ag

Inventors

• Hanebuth Henning
• Werner Christian

Classifications

• B23K9/285 Primary

  Cooled electrode holders · CPC title

• B23K9/167

  and of a non-consumable electrode · CPC title

• B23K9/0213 Primary

  Narrow gap welding · CPC title

• B23K9/296

  using non-consumable electrodes · CPC title